Bharat Ratna not meant for Sachin: Katju

Published: Monday, May 14, 2012, 9:54 [IST]

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Kolkata, May 13: Cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar should not be honoured with the Bharat Ratna as the demand to give the award to filmstars and cricket players spoke of 'the low cultural level', Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markandey Katju said on Saturday.

"Somebody says the award should go to Tendulkar or Sourav Ganguly. I say it should be given to none of them," Katju said, adding, "Sometimes demands are made to give Bharat Ratna to filmstars and cricketers. This shows the low cultural level in the country," he said at a function in Kolkata.

Pointing out that the Bharat Ratna has also been given posthumously like in the case of Dr BR Ambedkar, he said, "I see no reason why Kazi Nazrul Islam, the great nationalist poet who fought for the emancipation of women, poor and the downtrodden, shouldn't be given the award.